Motorized player piano spill valve



B. M- BULLARD MOTORIZED PLAYER PIANO SPILL VALVE July 28, 1964 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed April 18 1963 6 3 mm ,M 2 am. m m w. 3 Mm. w M, m H M. F M l 6 m 8 m M av a m w .m H F U I I Fig.

July 28, 1964 M. BULLARD MOTORIZED PLAYER PIANO SPILL VALVE Filed April 18 1963 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 1 l I i 104 r H" :1 II- I w Burke M. Bul/ard IN VEN TOR.

Y MW UM L United States Patent 3,142,220 MUTORIZED PLAYER PIANO SPILL VALVE Burke M. Billiard, 2013 42nd, Lubbock, Tex. Filed Apr. 18, 1963, Ser. No. 273,968 7 Claims. (Cl. Wi 42) This invention relates to a novel and useful spill valve construction for a player piano.

The spill valve construction of the instant invention includes a valved housing having by-pass passage means therein and the housing is adapted to enclose the vacuum pump by which the player piano is being motorized. The housing includes an inlet which is adapted to be connected to the vacuum stack of a player piano together with the conventional bellows of the player piano and the inlet opening in the housing is provided with a check valve in the form of a flap member for preventing a reverse flow of air through the housing and outwardly of the inlet opening in the event it is desired to use the conventional bellows of the player piano in lieu of the vacuum motor.

In addition to the check valve the by-pass passage means provided in the housing for the vacuum motor communicates the outlet of the vacuum motor with the inlet end of the housing and is provided with an adjustable flap valve for limiting the amount of vacuum which may be effected at the player piano stack with which the inlet of the housing is communicated. In this manner, a heavy duty vacuum motor may be utilized in order that sufficient vacuum to properly operate the player piano may be obtained immediately after the vacuum motor is actuated and the amount of vacuum effected by the vacuum motor may be limited thereby providing sufficient capacity for operating the player mechanism at full volume and yet enabling a slower re-roll of the player piano roll.

By enabling a powerful vacuum motor to be utilized more even tempo, volume and slower re-roll of the player piano rolls is afforded inasmuch as a vacuum pump capable of providing all of the vacuum that will be needed to operate the piano at full volume is afforded and yet the by-pass valve of the instant invention operates in a manner to limit the amount of vacuum effected by the vacuum pump. Therefore, the re-roll mechanism may be adjusted to operate at the proper speed by means of the maximum vacuum which may be permitted to be effected by the vacuum pump.

The main object of this invention is to provide a motorized player piano spill valve assembly for limiting the degree of vacuum effected by an associated vacuum motor.

Another object of this invention, in accordance with the preceding object, is to provide a spill valve assembly including a housing for enclosing the vacuum pump of the instant invention and including by-pass means for communicating the inlet of the vacuum pump with the outlet thereof whereby the by-pass passage means may be valved in order to limit the effective maximum degree of vacuum afforded by the vacuum pump.

Another object of this invention is to provide a device in accordance with the preceding objects including a bypass passage valve including means whereby the valve may be caused to open and communicate the inlet of the vacuum pump with the outlet thereof in response to the vacuum motor effecting a vacuum slightly greater than that for which the bypass valve is set.

A final object of this invention is to be specifically enumerated herein is to provide a motorized player piano spill valve assembly in accordance with the preceding objects which will conform to conventional forms of manufacture, be of simple construction and automatic in operation so as to provide a device that will be economically feasible, long lasting and trouble free in operation.

3,142,229 Patented July 28, 1964 ice These together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

FIGURE 1 is a diagrammatic view of the motorized player piano spill valve assembly of the instant invention and the vacuum stack and bellows of a player piano;

FIGURE 2 is a perspective view of the spill valve assembly of the instant invention;

FIGURE 3 is a fragmentary enlarged and exploded perspective view of the spill valve assembly shown with one closure wall thereof removed;

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged longitudinal vertical sectional view taken substantially upon the plane indicated by the section line 4-4 of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 5 is an enlarged transverse vertical sectional view taken substantially upon the plane indicated by the section line 5-5 of FIGURE 4;

FIGURE 6 is a fragmentary sectional view similar to that of FIGURE 5 but 011 somewhat of an enlarged scale and portions of the player piano spill valve assembly being broken away;

FIGURE 7 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken substantially upon the plane indicated by the section line 77 of FIGURE 5, and

FIGURE 8 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken substantially upon the plane indicated by the section line 8-8 of FIGURE 5.

Referring now more specifically to the drawings, the numeral 10 generally designates the spill valve assembly of the instant invention which is shown in FIGURE 1 having its inlet neck 12 communicated with conduit means 14 that communicate both the inlet neck 12 and the conventional foot-operated bellows generally referred to by the reference numeral 16 with the interior of the vacuum stack 18 of the player piano with which the spill valve assembly 10 is operatively associated.

As can best be seen from a comparison of FIGURES 2-6 of the drawings the spill valve assembly of the instant invention includes a housing generally referred to by the reference numeral 20. The housing 20 includes top and bottom walls 22 and 24, opposite side walls 26 and 28 and removable front and rear walls 30 and 32.

The front wall 30 includes an outer frame-like partial wall section 34 and an inner panel-like section 36. The panel-like section 36 is recessed within the opening 38 defined by the inner periphery of the partial wall section 34 while the rear wall 32 is recessed in the rear end of the housing 20.

The side walls 26 and 28 have longitudinally extending dished grooves 40 and 42 formed therein for receiving the casing 44 of the vacuum pump which is generally referred to by the reference numeral 46. The casing 44 is generally cylindrical and has an annular seal 48 partly recessed in its forward end. The rear wall 32 has an outlet opening 50 formed therein and may be secured within the rear end of the housing 20 in any convenient manner. The section 36 is provided with a plurality of apertures 54 through which suitable fasteners 56 may be passed to secure the section 36 within the area defined by the section 34, which section is secured to the forward end of the housing 20 in any convenient manner.

The section 36 has an inlet opening 58 formed therein in which an inlet neck 60 is secured. The outer end of the inlet neck 60 has one end of the conduit 14 sealingly secured thereto and it may be seen that a flexible flap valve member 62 is secured at one end by means of suitable fasteners 64 to the inner surface 66 of the section 36 and extends across the inlet opening 58. The end of the flap valve member 62 remote from the fasteners 64 is provided with an elongated slot 68 and a headed retaining pin 70 is secured to the section 36, projects inwardly thereof and includes a shank portion 72 which is slidingly disposed in the slot 68. From FIGURE 7 of the drawings it may be seen that the flap valve member 62 may be moved between the positions illustrated in solid and phantom lines.

From FIGURE 6 of the drawings it may be seen that the rear wall 32 has a plurality of openings '74 formed therein which communicate the passages defined between the inside corners of the housing 29 and the casing 44 with the exterior of the housing 26. These passages are referred to by the reference numeral 78 and it may be seen from a comparison of FIGURES 4 and of the drawings that the section 36 has a slot 84 routed therein and that the slot or groove 80 extends from the area disposed outwardly of the seal 48 to the area bound by the seal 48. Thus, the slot 80 communicates the passages 73 with the interior of the forward end of the casing 44. However, a flap valve in the form of a. check valve assembly generally referred to by the reference numeral 82 is provided and includes an elongated flexible seal member 84 which is secured to the inner surface of the section 36 by means of suitable fasteners 86 and extends generally radially inwardly of the housing 20 with the free end portion of the seal 84 overlying that portion of the slot or groove 84 disposed Within the confines of the seal 48.

A dished retainer 88 is provided and includes a bore 90 which slidingly receives the shank portion 92 of a headed fastener 94 which is secured through the section 36 by means of an adjusting nut 96. The head 97 of the fastener 94 comprises an abutment for one end of a compression spring 98 disposed about the shank 92. The other end of the compression spring abuts against the confronting surfaces of the dished portion of the retainer 88 disposed about the bore or aperture 99. A felt washer ltlil is disposed between the nut 96 and the outer surface 192 of the section 36.

The rear end of the casing 44 is provided with an out let neck 104 and the outlet 104 extends outwardly through the outlet opening 50 formed in the rear wall 32 and may have an outlet conduit 166 secured thereto.

In operation, the electric vacuum pump (not shown) disposed within the casing 44 may be actuated as desired and it will be noted that the casing 44 may be provided with a suitable aperture for snugly receiving the electric wires by which the electric motor is operatively connected to a suitable source of electrical potential. Further, the housing 20 may also be provided with a suitable aperture for snugly receiving these wires.

After the electric motor has been actuated and the desired amount of vacuum has been etfected within the stack in the conduit 14 within a relatively short period of time, since further operation of the vacuum pump will tend to increase the vacuum within the stack, the spill valve assembly 82 will be actuated by the reduction of air pressure on the inside thereof thereby enabling air to pass through the by-pass passages '78 and into the inlet of the vacuum motor from the exterior of the housing 2b. In this manner, the tendency for the vacuum pump to cause an excessive amount of vacuum to exist in the stack 18 will be eliminated as any excess will be offset by the air passing through the by-pass valve 82. Accordingly, while suflicient vacuum may be afforded by the vacuum pump to properly operate the player piano at full volume and with an even tempo, should it be desired to re-roll the music roll or to play the piano very slowly and with low volume, there will not be an excess of vacuum within the stack.

If it is desired on the other hand to manually operate the player piano by means of the manual bellows 16, operation of the bellows lid will effect a reduction in pressure Within the conduit 14 whereby the greater pressure within the housing 20 will close the flap valve 62 in order to prevent a rearward flow of air through the housing 20.

The side walls 26 and 28 are provided with the dished grooves 46 and 42 in order that a cylindrical area having the greatest possible diameter may be defined within the housing 20. In this manner, the housing for a given size vacuum pump may be maintained as narrow as possible. This is very important inasmuch as player piano cases are almost completely filled with the player piano mechanism leaving very little space to receive a vacuum pump therein. Actually, many existing vacuum pumps have been designed for use in a specific player piano case having a limited space only slightly larger than that vacuum pump in which to receive the latter. Therefore, the housing of the instant invention must be constructed so as to also be receivable in that limited space.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention as claimed.

What is claimed as new is as follows' 1. A motorized player piano spill valve assembly comprising a closed housing adapted to receive a vacuum motor therein and including an inlet and an outlet, said inlet including means adapted to be communicated with the vacuum stack of a player piano and said housing including by-pass means communicating said outlet with said inlet and controlled by means of an adjustable fluid pressure actuated valve operable to communicate said outlet with said inlet in response to a reduction of air pressure in said inlet beyond a given point.

2. The combination of claim 1 wherein said inlet means includes one-way check valve means for preventing a reverse flow of a fluid outwardly of said housing through said inlet means.

3. The combination of claim 1 wherein said housing includes at least two adjacent and generally right angularly disposed side walls defining a corner portion extending longitudinally of said housing and adapted to define, to gether with a generally cylindrical vacuum motor case disposed in said housing, a by-pass passage in said housing extending from the inlet end thereof to the outlet end, said inlet means including a closure wall for one end of said housing including frame-like seal means adapted to be engaged by and to form a seal with the inlet end of said case and also including an inlet opening within the confines of said frame-like seal means, said valve including passage means formed in said closure wall communicating the area bound by said seal means with a portion of the area thereof disposed outwardly of said seal means and communicated with said by-pass passage.

4. The combination of claim 3 wherein said inlet means includes one-way check valve means for preventing a reverse fiow of air outwardly of said housing through said inlet opening, said check valve means comprising a flap valve member secured to the inner surface of said closure Wall and extending across said inlet opening.

5. The combination of claim 4 wherein said flap valve member is flexible and is secured at one marginal portion to said closure wall with the opposite marginal portion disposed on the remote side of said opening and secured to said closure wall by means of a headed pin secured to said closure wall, projecting inwardly thereof and slidingly received in an elongated slot formed in said opposite marginal portion.

6. The combination of claim 1 wherein said housing includes at least two adjacent and generally right angularly disposed side Walls defining a corner portion extending longitudinally of said housing and adapted to define, together with a generally cylindrical vacuum motor case disposed in said housing, a by-pass passage in said housing extending from the inlet end thereof to the outlet end, said inlet means including a closure wall for one end of said housing including frame-like seal means adapted to be engaged by and to form a seal with the inlet end of said case and also including an inlet opening within the confines of said frame-like seal means, said valve including passage means formed in said closure wall communicating the area bound by said seal means with a portion of the area thereof disposed outwardly of said seal means and communicated with said bypass passage, said valve also including a flap member secured at one end portion to the inner surface of said closure wall with the opposite end portion positioned to normally overlie the portion of said by-pass passage opening inwardly toward the remote end of said housing and disposed within the confines of said seal means, and means yieldingly urging said opposite end portion of said flap member into sealed engagement with the inner surfaces of said closure wall defining said portion of said by-pass passage.

7. The combination of claim 6 wherein the last mentioned means includes means by which the amount of force effected thereby to close said flap member may be 10 adjusted as desired.

No references cited. 

1. A MOTORIZED PLAYER PIANO SPILL VALVE ASSEMBLY COMPRISING A CLOSED HOUSING ADAPTED TO RECEIVE A VACUUM MOTOR THEREIN AND INCLUDING AN INLET AND AN OUTLET, SAID INLET INCLUDING MEANS ADAPTED TO BE COMMUNICATED WITH THE VACUUM STACK OF A PLAYER PIANO AND SAID HOUSING INCLUDING BY-PASS MEANS COMMUNICATING SAID OUTLET WITH SAID INLET AND CONTROLLED BY MEANS OF AN ADJUSTABLE FLUID PRESSURE ACTUATED VALVE OPERABLE TO COMMUNICATE SAID OUTLET WITH SAID INLET IN RESPONSE TO A REDUCTION OF AIR PRESSURE IN SAID INLET BEYOND A GIVEN POINT. 